It was in June this year, Magenta Power set up a solar-based electric vehicle charging station. Magenta, a renewable energy solution provider in association with Exicom, installed the DC fast charger in Navi Mumbai with a promise that it would expand by year end. And now, the company has built India's first EV charging corridor. The network of charging stations has been set up at Hotel Centre Point at Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Lonavala. The network will eventually be extended to Bangalore and Mysore. An EV charging corridor will allow smooth passage of electric cars in the area without having to worry about running out.

The charging corridor named ChargeIn will be a fully integrated network of charging points including AC and DC chargers. All the ChargeIn points will be connected via a network for central monitoring and control.

Some of the charging stations in the corridor have an automated payment system so that users can charge the vehicles using an online OTP based payment system via the ChargeIn app. This payment system will be deployed to all the charging stations in a phased manner.

ChargeIn will be an open platform for all EV charging stations. Magenta Power has also invited existing owners of charging stations to have the option of joining the ChargeIn network. The company is also in talks with various investors to support its growth plans.

Maxson Lewis, CEO and Managing Director Magenta Power, elaborated on his vision for ChargeIn, saying that the corridor will include charging station for two-, three- and four-wheelers, including bus fleets. He went on to say that this network of charging stations will make way for 'electric highways' in the country, and it will also create jobs the stations will be manned for support.

The solar-powered charging station set up by Magenta Power in Navi Mumbai is also a first in India. Since the grid-connected fast charger uses solar power to charge the vehicles, the cost incurred in next to nothing.